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Unit Load Formation Equipment Wiki
Introduction Unit load formation equipment is a vital tool for companies and industries everywhere, especially in cases where single units are smaller in size. This material handling practice involves turning a certain number, anywhere from 10 to 1000's of units, into a single unit that can be moved with ease, usually with a forklift. "Unit Load." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2015. Background & Progression The concept of unit load formation has been around the world of manufacturing, as well as retail, for many years. It has been estimated that in 1993 there were two billion unit loads used daily in the United States. Since the initial use of unit load formation equipment several standards have been adopted for special items such as hazardous materials that may need a special type of pallet/tote. An example of these standards is the ASTM D4169 standard which varies based on the material at hand. Some contributions that dictate the ASTM D4169 standard is the value of the load, the possible hazards, and the distribution environment. Examples Self-Restraining ''' * No equipment is needed because the item can maintain its integrity when handled alone '''Pallets * Most common are wood, but also can be made of cardboard, plastic, rubber, and metal. * A platform that has enough space underneath to allow a forklift to lift and transport. * The top of the pallet is called the deckboard and that determines the length of the pallet. * The stringer is under the deck-board and runs perpendicular. It determines the width of the pallet. * The most common pallet size, in the United States, is 48 in x 40 in. Skids * Platform with enough space underneath to allow for a platform truck or forklift to move underneath and lift. * Usually made of metal and compared to a pallet, it’s usually used for heavier loads and when stacking is not necessary. Slip Sheets * Made from thick paper, corrugated fiber, or plastic. * Sheet is flat on the floor and the load is placed on top of it. * Tabs on the end of the sheet stick up in the air and are used by a special lift truck attachment to push or pull the slip sheet. * Preferred over pallets for long distance shipping because they are cheaper and less weight. * Downsides are is slower to move loads compared to pallets and the special lift truck attachment used reduces the load capacity of the vehicle. Tote Pans * Reusable container used to combine and protect loose items. * Generally used for in-process handling. Pallet and Skid Boxes * Reusable box that is placed directly on a pallet or skid that is used to combine and protect loose items. * Usually made of wood, plastic, cardboard, or metal. Bins, Baskets, and Racks * Storage units used to unitize and protect similar items. Cartons * Disposable container that used to combine like items and protect them, mostly used for distribution. * Typically the cartons are stored on pallets until needed. Bags * Disposable container used to protect bulk materials. * Range from sizes of 1-6 millimeters. * Mostly used for distribution. Bulk Load Containers * Reusable container used to protect bulk materials. * Common containers are drums or cylinders. * Most common used are for distribution and in-process handling. Crates * Container used to protect like items. * Usually made of plastic or wood. Intermodal Containers * Large container used to store and/or transport items. * Can be transferred by road, rail, and sea. * Standard length is either 20 or 40 ft. in length. * Standard width is 8 ft. * Standard height ranges from 8-9.5 ft. Straps, Tape, and Glue * Used stabilize a load * The straps used are either plastic or steel Shrink-Wrap and Stretch-Wrap * Used to stabilize a load. * Shrink wrapping contains a film or bag that is placed around a load and heat is applied to shrink the film or bag to conform to the shape of the load. * Stretch-wrapping contains a film that is stretched around a load which stabilizes the components of the load. * Stretch-wrapping is preferred over shrink-wrapping because it has less material, labor and energy costs. Palletizers Manual Palletizing * Operators stack the items to form the unit load * Usually positioned in the prime working zone between the knees and chest * Semi-mechanized palletizers allow operators to stack items and a powered device transfers the layers onto a pallet then returns to be stacked again. Robotic Pick and Place Palletizers * Fully automated device used to form the unit load * Most common when flexibility is required * Picks up item and then places at desired location * Downside is capacity (averages around 6 cycles per minute) Conventional Stripper Plate Palletizers * Fully automated device used to form the unit load * Most common when high throughput of identical loads is required * Capacity can range between 30-180 items per minute * Entire layer is placed on the load at the same time. Design Parameters Enter text Vendor References enter text References and Attributions Latest activity Photos and videos are a great way to add visuals to your wiki. Find videos about your topic by exploring Wikia's Video Library.